When we’re standing, walking or running, our feet are the root of our structure. Modern footwear trends from the 1960’s have put our feet into increasingly restrictive, cushioned, insulated and mal-fitting footwear that doesn’t allow the feet to move and the toes to spread in the way our brain and body expect.
If you haven’t already made the transition, spending more time barefoot and wearing minimal footwear when you can’t be barefoot is a very helpful 1% marginal gain, which can improve posture, reduce back pain and improve brain health.
Katy Bowman, who is a great a biomechanist (and an entertaining author and teacher) has written a great guide on how to safely transition to minimal footwear. If you’re currently wearing cushioned or constrictive shoes it is worth taking time to transition, avoiding triggering injury by doing it too quickly.
